Lot 7323: Buddy Holly Limited Edition Gibson J-45 Guitar

Lot 7323: An extraordinary re-creation of Buddy Holly's customized Gibson J-45 acoustic guitar handcrafted by acclaimed luthier Alister Atkin presented in a beautiful hand-tooled leather case with the Holly song title "Listen to Me" on the left shoulder. The gorgeous guitar is finished in a stunning sunburst lacquer, with features and specifications including: a spruce top; mahogany neck, back and sides; pre-war scalloped bracing; ebony binding, fingerboard dots, bridge, and peg head overlay; bone nut and drop-in saddle; and electric pickup. Inside the guitar is a paper label signed by Atkin and numbered 471/1111, with the title of the guitar, "Listen to Me," penned below. The outer leather case was hand-tooled by Susie Temple of Rawhide Custom Leather in Austin, Texas, to replicate the one Holly used to protect his guitar. In fine condition. Also includes a Hiscox hardshell guitar case, specifically designed to fit this guitar and made of ballistics-grade material. Accompanied by a signed letter from Holly's widow, Maria Elena Holly, in part: "This guitar is both a work of art and a work of love…The Buddy Holly Guitar Foundation partnered with Songmasters to create this guitar as part of its program honoring my husband's life and legacy, Listen To Me: Buddy Holly. You are the only person to own a guitar commissioned by this Foundation to perfectly replicate Buddy's original J45." Also accompanied by a color 17 x 11 poster for the PBS broadcast of Buddy Holly: Listen To Me, signed in black felt tip by several of the performers, including Graham Nash, Stevie Nicks, Lyle Lovett, Chris Isaak, Peter Asher, and Boz Scaggs.Originally sold to benefit the Grammy Foundation, this guitar is the only example of the hand-built re-creations of Holly's J-45 ever made available to the public. A limited number of these guitars were produced by Atkin for the Buddy Holly Guitar Foundation, each named for one of his songs and so reflected on their unique hand-tooled leather cases, with the others having been awarded on a long-term 'legacy loan' to music legends such as Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Pete Townshend, Keith Richards, Graham Nash, Phil Everly, Brian May, and Dolly Parton. A truly remarkable instrument honoring one of modern music's most influential figures. Oversized.
RR Auction's Marvels of Modern Music Auction 457
Thursday, 23rd July 2015
Estimate: $20000-25000